Since the beginning of the development of the OIE Standards on Animal Welfare, the countries of the Americas mobilized themselves with the objective of taking part in them, so the productive, cultural and economics regional particularities could be taken into account.

At the same time of the designation of the OIE Focal Point for Animal Welfare, the Regional Representation started to identify the different actors in the chain that are directly or indirectly involved in the Animal Welfare aspects, as the meat processing industry, the farmers, the transporters, the colleges, the research institutes and, of course, the Veterinary Services.

By working together the identified actors, the OIE Focal Point for Animal Welfare and the Regional Representation delineated and proposed a Regional Strategy of Animal Welfare for comments, which facilitate a regional approach of public-private and multidisciplinary consult and pretend to develop the regional support for the application of the OIE standards and guidelines.

This strategy establishes the framework for the achievement of results in animal welfare, based on the knowledge and scientific evidence, so it recognizes the importance of education, formation and investigation.

The strategy is based on the five followings goals:

1.Guarantee, through a coordinated regional approach, the implementation of the OIE Animal Welfare Standards.

2.Disseminate and promote the concept of Animal Welfare in the Region through the effective coordination, the communication, the education and the capacities building.

3.Achieve sustainable improvements in animal welfare, based on the development of regional and international research.